Rueful
by GoldenMockingjay
Summary: We don't really know Rue's story. What happened to her before she allied with Katniss? A short one-shot about what happened to her during the bloodbath. In Rue's POV.


**A/N: This is a one-shot I wrote, just after finishing chapter 2 for 'Wounded', which will be posted sometime soon. We never really knew Rue's story, about what happened to her before she allied with Katniss. So this is my take on what happened to her during the bloodbath.**

**Rated just for slight mention of gore, and one use of 'hell'.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games. Rights to Suzanne Collins.**

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><p>This is it. This is my time. Time to show all of Panem that the smallest one can stand tallest of all. People always took one look at me and figured, 'Oh, well she's not much of a threat. Look at her, she's tiny!' well I'm gonna show them. They're going to eat those words. I'm going to make my mom, dad, and all of my siblings proud. Their daughter and sister is going to come out a victor, no matter what people say.<p>

My metal plate stops rising, and I feel the cool air of the arena on my skin. I scope it out. To one side, there is a lush forest full of trees that must stretch for miles. Yes, trees! We have tons of those back at my home in District 11, so I am an amazing climber. I can use that to my advantage. On the other side, a large lake full of shimmering, fresh water. I make a mental note to myself to not go for the lake. That's where everyone will be wanting to go, and I would be as good as dead against that many. I see the girl from District 12, on the opposite side of the cornucopia from me. Katniss Everdeen. I've watched her throughout training and considered her as an ally. She's cunning and clever, like me. She also wears a Mockingjay pin, which gives me comfort somehow. If I ever get the chance to ally with her, I'll take it. I hope she gets out of the bloodbath alive though.

The countdown continues.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

That's it. Okay Rue, this is your time to shine. Everyone takes off at once, running towards the cornucopia for weapons, food, anything at all. I set my sights on a small black backpack. It should be filled with good supplies and since it's black, it will camoflouge with the night nicely. I make a break for it, sprinting full out in the direction I want, to the right of the cornucopia. I'm so close to the backpack, when something tackles me to the ground with so much force the wind is knocked out of me for a few brief seconds. I don't even know how this happened.

I get a good look at my attacker. One of the careers. Marvel, I believe his name was, from District 1. He's grinning evilly at me, pulling a knife he already obtained from his belt. "I know you're a threat, the small ones always are. Any last words, District 11?" he spits out at me. I'm not sure what to say. I can't die, not now! The Games have barely begun. I squirm and flail the best I can but he's older, stronger, and more trained than I am. It's hopeless. He pulls me up and slams me back on the ground again, knocking the wind out of me once more, and leaving my head throbbing.

My life flashes before my eyes. Mom, Dad, everyone...I'm so sorry I let you down. So sorry you have to watch this. I imagine myself in a happier place. My meadow back home, the meadow I always used to take my younger sister and brother to, to run around in the grass, so carefree. I hope for my District's sake that Thresh at least got away. I also silently hope Katniss did. The throbbing pain in my head brings me back to reality, and I open my eyes to see Marvel bringing the knife down to rest above my heart. These are the last breaths I will ever breathe.

I'm proven wrong though. In what seems like a flash, Thresh appears and throws Marvel off of me. He rolls across the ground, but gets back up unharmed, and runs off to join the careers again. I know he will be after me in the future. Thresh extends his hand to help me up, and I am surprised at his kindness. We only ever talked a little at training, and had small conversations on the train to the Capitol. Why did he save me?

"Th-thank you." I manage to sputter out.

"Hey, it's the least I can do. You are my District partner. But be more careful, I wont be there all the time you know." He replies. He gives me a small smile and runs off in the direction of the lake.

That was...odd. But kind of him nontheless. I turn around and notice the bloodbath is still raging on. At least six dead bodies lay on the ground, covered in blood. I hear a high-pitched scream, which I see came from a boy, I think the one from District 9. A spear goes into his head and he falls to the ground. Gross. I turn around, but maybe a little too fast, as the throbbing in my head returns and I stagger backwards. _Pull yourself together, Rue! Your head is the least of your worries right now! It's not even that bad._

I regain my posture and see that the backpack I wanted is still there. I grin. Sneakily, I make my way around all of the fighting and finally reach the cornucopia. I move around it and reach the pack. I sling it onto my back and quickly plan out my route for escape from the bloodbath. I plan to make a run into the forest thicket. I sneak around a fight between a boy and a girl, not sure what Districts they're from. The girl shrieks, and then all I see is a pool of crimson blood before I make a mad dash for the woods.

I'm so close to the woods, so close I can smell the trees and plants. It reminds me of home. But those good thoughts don't last long. A sword whizzes through the air, heading straight for my head. I panic, having no clue how to avoid this. Without thinking first, I dive to the ground and do a roll so I land back up on my knees. The sword lodges itself in a tree. That was close. Too close. I momentarily catch the eye of my attacker before I sprint into the forest and finally make it. Temporary safety.

I choose a nice looking, sturdy tree deeper in the forest for shelter. I climb to a high branch and settle into it. Watching out from above for any potential attackers. I see nobody, so I take the backpack off my shoulders and inspect what's inside. Two knives, one with a cruelly curved blade and the other just your classic knife. A small first-aid kit containing bandages, medicine for sickness or wounds, and some to cure poisoning. Also a black blanket, which will help keep me warm overnight. Hm, I made a good choice.

_Crunch, crunch, crunch._ The quiet sound of crunching leafs alerts me. I whip around in my branch to scope out for enemies. The knives are at my left if I need them. I see a dark figure walking towards my tree, at first I think they might attack me. I grab the knife with the curved blade and position it to throw. As the figure gets closer I recognize it as Katniss. It's only Katniss. I drop my knife and watch her. She's wandering around, probably trying to find somewhere for the night. She stands right below my tree now, looking around. Her head perks up and she runs about seven trees down from me. I can hardly see her anymore but I notice her faint shadow climbing the tree and settling in a high branch, like me. Hm, so she has a similar tactic as me, we would be good allies.

I settle back into my branch. I take the first-aid kit and put it back in the backpack. I then put the pack under my head to use as a pillow. It's not extremely comfortable, but it'll have to do for now. I stick the two knives beside me in the branch, making sure they are stuck good so they don't fall. I pull the blanket up above my head and try to let sleep come to me. My mind wont allow it though, as it keeps racing with thoughts.

I finally drift off. It seems like forever, but it's really only about thirty-five minutes until a hear, _snap!_ Twigs breaking on the ground, and eerily close to my tree. I very slightly move my head up, and I see none other than the careers there. I shiver. This will not be good. _Stay put, Rue! Don't move or they'll surely see you! _I silently tell myself. I watch them from my branch. "Alright, who should we kill next, huh?" I hear one of them say. I involuntarily try to nestle closer to the tree trunk. "I don't know, anyone's fine with me." I try to move my head up a bit to get a better look. Wrong move. I accidentally hit one of the knives, the one with the curved blade, out of the tree trunk and it plumets down to the careers. I silently pray for it to kill one of them, but it only lands on the ground beside them, alerting them to my presence. _Oh god, I'm such a klutz! I've done it now..._

One of them, I believe her name was Clove, picks up the knife and puts it in her jacket. "Well, well, I believe we have someone spying on us from above. Lucky for me though, I get a new knife." she says. I try to stay as still as possible, holding my breath. "Cato, aim your spear up there, get 'em." One of the others instructs. Cato aims his spear up at my branch and throws it, it comes hurdling towards me. I freak out, and in a panic, I swiftly duck and it misses my head, going over me completely. I sigh with relief.

"Oh hell, now we need to go get it, stupid!" Cato yells angrily.

"Oh, suck it up, just forget about whoever's up there, we'll come across them later I'm sure." Clove says.

"Alright let's move then."

They start running to where the spear went, and it went flying pretty far. I survived. Yes! I'm still in this and I can still win. Now that I'm confident I'm safe, I settle my head back down on my makeshift pillow, make sure my one remaining knife is still securely there, and pull the blanket above my head. I smile, knowing I can still prove the smallest one has a chance in these Games too.

My mind races with thoughts for a while. Typical. Then I finally drift off into sleep with unpleasant dreams. This is the Hunger Games after all...

My name is Rue. I can win the Hunger Games.

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><p><strong>Love it? Hate it? Let me know in a review. If you really want another chapter...I'll think about it. :)<strong>


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